4 reasons to use Snapchat for your business

BY Suzanne Nguyen

I’m Suzanne Nguyen, but you can call me ‘String’. I say the future because Adelaide is 17.5 hours ahead of Silicon Valley. I’d like to invite you to the inner-world of a Social Media influencer. The plan is to be super candid and share my insights, the highs and lows of being a Snapchatter, and benchmark my social experience.

I help traditional brands and businesses leverage emerging social channels and tools, such as Snapchat, Instagram Stories and Facebook Live, to reach new and wider audiences, and help convert these audiences into leads and loyal customers.

One the most common question directed at me is: Why should I or my business be on Snapchat? Here are four legit reasons why Snapchat is killing it:

It’s mobile
As a base product, Snapchat is a social and messaging platform that shares content that lasts for 24 hours. I see Snapchat as a Global TV channel that fits into your pocket.
Traditional media channels are becoming less engaging and many consumers are finding alternative means to fulfil their various and varied needs. More than that, our mobile has become a personalised remote control, meaning that consumers are controlling what, when and how they are consuming entertainment and information.

It’s a communication platform
Many people like to state that Snapchat’s core is its messaging platform, as many friends and family will contact each other through snaps.

Did I mention that Snapchat has a global reach? On a business level, many of my latest clients have originally come from being my audience. So, Snapchat can be used as a lead generator, by building relationships with your audience, many of which can become future customers or clients.

A mentor likes to repeat to me “your network is your net worth” and I’ve been able to cultivate a global network, especially extending my reach to America. I’ve been fortunate to connect with high calibre people and maintained relationships with angel investors, tech CEOs, millionaires and other social influencers and interesting entrepreneurs who are also using Snapchat to create their own “net worth”.

It’s a content making platform
Your mobile’s camera is awesome. On your mobile phone is a mini SLR camera. You and your phone have become the media agency. Low production cost and the internet means that you as a business don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on a media agency. These days, it’s not about delivering high production value, it’s all about the substance of the content that you deliver.

It’s a market tester
Snapchat has the advantage of having a highly engaged audience. Whether it be 100 or 1000 viewers, it means that you can test out narratives or gain variable feedback about your service and product. Within the world of Snapchat, Screenshots are the most under-rated tool, yet I use them as one of my metrics to gauge engagement. The app keeps a record of how many people have screenshot’d a snap. In other words, Screenshots are the new Snapchat ‘likes’.

From content making to communication to marketing, Snapchat’s mobility is unique, as you are always where the audience are. I find that Australia is still lagging behind with the use of Snapchat, but I recognise that’s where the opportunities lie. More companies and brands will start to consider how to integrate Snapchat as a campaign or part of an overall social strategy, as many will start to recognise the potential to reach a new wider audience in an authentic and human kind of way.

Snapchat has enabled us to be the stars of our own TV shows, and all without the high production costs. All you need is your mobile.